Architecture

Designed, built, and currently on sale by Greenleaf Tiny Homes of Eugene, Oregon, this model called the Kootenay Urban Tiny House is 240 sqaure feet and exactly what you didn’t know you needed in you life – until now. Maybe you thought living in a tiny space wouldn’t work. Well, just take a look at this gorgeous example and maybe you’ll have a change of heart!

The front exterior view of your future mobile tiny home. The front door is built into the side of the home to allow for a fold-down cedar deck and front steps.

The siding of the home is sikkins-finished oak and powder-coated steel. The back door, leading into the bathroom. can be replaced with a wall, window, or sink.

The throne of your tiny castle. Not pictured is the stainless steel shower with a removable ipe wood floor, convenient for cleaning.

The front nook area and front entryway into the home.

A view of the front nook area from the kitchen. This kitchen includes a full-size fridge, gas stove top, and a washer and dryer combo, but is designed to be versatile enough to handle more appliances!

Did we mention that there were also floating shelves in this kitchen?

Wow, appearances are deceiving! This kitchen sure knows how to conceal its storage space!

A view of the downstairs living area and a glimpse of the bedroom loft. The flooring is engineered oak downstairs, and cork upstairs. The windows are double-paned.

The bedroom loft provides the foolproof vantage point for meditation and home surveillance.

The most luxurious and spacious bedroom loft that anyone could ask for.

Josh and Shelley like to keep a fully stocked bar and enjoy hosting friends and family, but they faced a challenge when making the decision to downsize into a tiny house. As cute as tiny houses are, they don’t work so well for hosting parties and entertaining unless you literally want to rub shoulders with people. But thanks to an extraordinary design and some help from the crew of FYI’s “Tiny House Nation” they seem to have it all figured out.

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The 224-square-foot home includes two lofts, with one used for sleeping and the other for Shelley to get ready. The bedroom loft has all sorts of clever built-in storage hidden in the floor, which keeps clutter to a minimum. Downstairs you’ll find a living/kitchen area with an open floorplan, and perhaps best of all a large pass-through window that connects to the outdoor bar, where up to 8 people can hang out comfortably!

It’s safe to say that when you add up the extra deck space, seating at the bar, and the surrounding yard, this couple has truly figured out how to live big in a tiny house!

Blue Moon Rising is one of the most interesting ecotourism places we’ve encountered. Located in Deep Creek Lake, MD, they offer a dozen tiny cabins available for rent, each with its own distinct name and personality. We picked a couple of our favorites to share with you below.

Bella Donna

This little cabin was built by the crew at Hobbitat, and it packs a ton of charm into the small space. They managed to fit a queen size bed in the first level, and a second queen in the loft space above. By using “bump-outs” on either end they also allow enough room to move around freely in the kitchen and living area.

Kaya Cabin

The Kaya is positioned in a spot overlooking the property, and this little cabin was built using a unique combination of reclaimed metal, wood, and other materials, resulting in a truly distinct appearance.

Cairn Cabin

Cairns are normally ornate piles of rocks used to guide people through barren landscapes, but in this case they describe the Cairn cabin as a way to lead people toward thinking differently. At 13′ x 19′ it’s tiny but still remains spacious inside, with two twin beds that double as couches and a single queen in the loft. The architecture is a unique blend of gothic /rustic/salvaged styles, with a high peak roof, gothic revival porch, and closed gables for when storms roll through.

Funkomatic 513

With a name like “Funkomatic” you know this one has to have a bit of personality. One of several “Walden” model cabins on the property, this one was named by the owner of Hobbitat, who also built it. The purple door and trim add some pop, complimenting the reclaimed barn woods and aged metal roofing. Inside you’ll find a cozy nook with a queen bed, and another queen bed in the loft.

Sugar Magnolia

As you approach the property, this is one of the first cabins you’ll see. Based on the “Walden” design, this version pays tribute to the flowing water and river life nearby, with heart pine flooring and accents, room to seat 4 for meals or relaxation, and two beds.

When most folks build a “bug-out” shelter for the approaching end-of-days scenario, they take a fairly straightforward approach. Dig a hole, bury a container, hide lots of water, and just enough supplies to survive. Not this guy. He wanted a more permanent residence, where his family and a few others could carry on existing in comfort. So he got in touch with Al’s Army Navy Store to arrange the purchase and installation of several 32′ x 10′ corrugated tubes that cost around $60k each.

The foundation for the underground bunker is shown prior to being buried underground.

An inconspicuous square opens to reveal the entrance to this underground domain.

When the zombies come or the sky begins to fall just climb down the ladder to gain entrance into this hidden home.

Welcome to your new home! You are now 20′ underground.

Stacked bunk beds offer a place to catch some zz’s while the world falls apart overhead.

The kiddos don’t seem to mind the prospect of their new digs one bit. We’ll see how well they adapt once they learn there’s no exiting.

Demonstrating the under storage beneath the beds…

This news anchor takes a tour of the home, and exits through the secret escape hatch.

There’s a working kitchen, though we don’t see any stovetop. We’re thinking Sunday mornings without pancakes might not exist in the post-apocalyptic world…

A diner-style table provides a place to gather and share stories of zombie killings and fending off roaming vagrants.

A bunch of stinky teenagers living in tight quarters would be enough to drive most people back up the escape hatch to face reality. Luckily there’s a full bathroom, with a 2-in-1 combo washer to ensure your clothes stay fresh.

I hope they have a stockpile of DVDs somewhere!

The master bedroom seems nice. Does she come with it?

These images show the layout of the secret bunker, accessible through the main home.

The Atlas Survival Shelter comes complete with bunk beds that have under-the-lid storage, an escape hatch for emergency attacks, mudrooms with a lockable laser cut interior door, countertops, a kitchen with a sink, low voltage electric lights, electric outlets and a toilet. If that doesn’t impress you much, you can also go for the optional flatscreen TV, shortwave radios, camera surveillance, 300-5,000 gallon water tanks, 100-500 gallon fuel storage tanks, DVD player, power-generating exercise bicycle, red oak cabinets and beds, solar panels, restroom facility or an electric toilet with tank. Sounds like you’ll have just about everything needed to stay happy, healthy, and safe!

The homes built by the Rural Studio’s $20k Project will be among the first commercially available one-bedroom homes available for $20,000 or less, with the simple goal of building beautiful and elegant homes that could easily be a part of a neighborhood of million-dollar houses yet be realistically attainable to and desired by the average person.

Students of the Rural Studio, an undergraduate program of Auburn University’s School of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture, have finally begun the process of bringing years of planning and inspiration into reality with the building of the first homes of the $20k Project. The homes of the $20k Project have been designed with painstaking attention to every detail and using construction techniques that not only help reduce costs, but also make the homes more efficient and sustainable.

After a pilot launch last January, the Rural Studio hopes to launch the $20k Project nation-wide; once so, they hope to give away the instructions so that anyone could build these homes on their own. The Studio has estimated that the cost of building supplies could be $14,000 or less. Could you see yourself living in one of these homes?

Anyone can buy a used shipping container for pretty cheap, but it takes a certain amount of creative vision and skill to make it into a place to call home. And yet, this 355-square-foot trio of containers built by Joseph Dupuis proves that not only can you use them to build a home, but a beautiful one at that. Joseph works at Algonquin College in Otttawa as a researcher on renewable energy and built this masterpiece as a sort of experiment. While he currently lives here, he has the home listed for sale at a remarkably low price of $58k, not including shipping.

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The cabin is fully insulated, heated by an in-floor radiant heating system (propane fired hotwater tank for heating purposes and domestic water), and a wood stove. The cabin is designed to be dismantled, moved and erected in a new location with limited resources and time.”

photos courtesy S7vn Photography

Growing up, most of us had a friend whose parents owned an impressive house, but I guarantee none of us had a friend with a place like this. Owned by Catherine King and Wayne Adams, this eco-fortress of sorts can be found floating off the coastal inlet of Cypress Bay in British Columbia.

They call it “Freedom Cove” and the colorful offgrid home consists of a series of 12 structures. They share the place with their two children, Eleanor and Alistair, and seem to have a great system in place that has allowed them to live a self-sustainable existence for 20+ years.

There’s a greenhouse and garden system that provides food year-round. At one point they even had a hen-house, but were discouraged by the frequent attacks by hungry sea creatures. The family takes advantage of the heavy rain during the winter to collect water, and uses a waterfall nearby in the summer. Electricity comes courtesy solar panels and photovoltaic generators.

A wooden walkway connects each of the unique structures and the bright pinks and blues accenting the entire layout do more than hint at the couple’s artistic skills.

The couple earns extra income from their art – Catherine is a painter, writer, and wood carver, and Wayne sells carvings and candles in nearby gift shops.

Below you can see the workshop where Wayne does most of his carving, along with some close-ups of the finished candles.

If you’re in the area and want to check this place out, your in luck because curious visitors can take a boat tours of Freedom Cove or a sea kayak tour to get a personal tour.. In fact, they encourage visitors to spend time on the fortress.

This certainly has to be one of the most impressive offgrid homes we’ve seen. While the lifestyle isn’t for everyone, those looking for inspiration to escape mainstream society and forge a life of their own can find inspiration in their story.

Ask anyone who works from home what one of their biggest challenges is, and you’ll probably hear the need for a dedicated place to work with minimal distraction. Working from your house sounds great. You have the freedom to do whatever – including dishes, laundry, walk the dog, or catching up on a tv show, all of which can seriously limit your productivity.

Several companies offer backyard “shedquarters” which provide a perfect space for your office, artist workshop, writing studio or whatever else you need some privacy for. Sure, it might extend your commute from nothing to a short walk through the backyard garden, but it seems worth it.

1. Inoutside

This Australian company created a modern backyard space, and the “Cooba” model is shown here. The contemporary space goes the distance in terms of style. http://inoutside.com.au/

2. Sett Studio

Another lovely modern design comes courtesy of Settstudio, an Austin, Texas based company.

3. Modern Spaces

Aptly described as “forts for grown-ups!” these fully installed sheds with finished exteriors start at $6,000. Currently only California residents can get the on-site installation though. http://www.modernspacesandsheds.com/

4. Modern Cabana

This San Francisco company offers sheds in a variety of configurations such as the 10×12 foot studio seen here. It features a sliding glass door and floor to ceiling windows.

5. MetroShed

Designed by David Ballinger, this prefab model ships in a flat pack and costs $6,000-10,000. While it looks like the simplest design here, it actually incorporates insulated SIP panels, cedar beams, and plenty of eco-friendly design touches. Plus you can easily customize with your own finishes. http://www.metroshed.com/

6. Modern Shed

A husband and wife team started this modern shed company in Seattle, offering flat-pack prefab structures like this basic 8×10 foot shed priced at $6,900. http://www.modern-shed.com/

7. Studio Shed

8. Kanga Shed

This Austin, TX based company produces some very nice prefab structures, including the Basic Shed and the Modern Studio, both of which are built to very high quality standards. http://kangaroomsystems.com/

9. Summerwood

This Canadian based company produces sheds in a variety of styles, from modern to traditional with a base cost of $5300. http://www.summerwood.com/

10. G-Pod

Looking for something a bit different? Consider the G-Pod, which looks like something George Jetson would have designed. Prices start at $14,995. http://g-pod.com/

11. Kithaus

Another gorgeous prefab option described as the “anything you want pod” comes from this company, but prices are higher than most others, starting at $30k. http://kithaus.com/

This egg-shaped capsule may look like something from outer space, but it’s being developed here on planet earth by Bratislava’s Nice Architects. The concept brings a micro shelter with an impressive array of sustainable technology that includes solar power, rainwater collection and filtration, and wind power. They plan to reveal a prototype in the next month, and make it available for sale later this year.

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Inside you’ll find a cozy quarters of just 86 square feet. Designed to be easily transported, it can serve as a tiny house or office, and includes a toilet and shower, kitchenette, work and dining area, folding bed and storage both inside and out. Perhaps most exciting is the built-in technology it comes with, including a 28 square foot solar array and a silent 750 watt wind turbine.

Details are still fuzzy, though we expect to learn more once the firm makes its reveal on May 28 at the Pioneers Festival in Vienna.